NOSPR / Fanshil / Gavrylyuk / Between Light and Shadow - NOSPR

This programme brings together two faces of virtuosity: the dazzling, self-ironic mask of late Romanticism and the post-war energy of music ‘stripped of illusion’. Richard Strauss’s Burleske in D minor (1886) – originally conceived as a scherzo – was written when the composer was just twenty-one years old. The piano part was intended for a pianist of seemingly ‘inexhaustible’ technique, yet it carefully avoids display of virtuosity for its own sake. Cast in a single movement, the work is built upon a succession of tensions and playful confrontations between the soloist and orchestra. The timpani motif, asserted with almost brazen confidence, alternately provokes, mocks, and drives the music forward towards its climactic moments. Beneath its humour lie careful craftsmanship, emotional intensity, and sudden contrasts. Mieczysław Weinberg’s Sinfonietta No 1 (1948), in turn, features four movements, though its form is no less concise. Built on motoric and sharply defined rhythms, it sustains a powerful sense of momentum. Its lyrical passages do not so much dissipate the tension as throw it into sharper focus, while also evoking memories of a world that existed before the devastation of war. In the finale, the music acquires an almost dance-like energy, though Weinberg tempers it with his characteristic blend of irony and melancholy. The influence of Shostakovich and his circle is evident in the incisiveness of the musical gesture, yet Weinberg’s voice remains unmistakably his own. Once heard, it is not easily forgotten.

Piotr Matwiejczuk (Polskie Radio)

Concert duration: approximately 70 minutes

As this concert will be broadcast on Polish Radio Programme II, we kindly ask you to remain silent and refrain from applauding between movements. The opportunity for concentration and uninterrupted listening is an important aspect of the event; we therefore recommend the concert for children aged 7 and above. Thank you for your understanding and for helping us ensure a comfortable listening environment.

We also invite you to explore our programme of educational events designed especially for our youngest audience members: EDUCATIONAL EVENTS.

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